Electrically heated deicing shingle



l t) 1A) J. L. HARRISON ELECTRICALLY HEATED DEICING SHINGLE Filed Sept. 8, 1949 March 27, 1951 N 'ENTOR JUSp? Z. Harrison Patented Mar. 27, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT FFIC ELECTRCALLY HEATED DEICING SHINGLE Joseph L. Harrison, Wallace, Idaho Application September 8, 1349, Serial No. 114,617

(Cl. 21S-19) Claims. l

This invention relates to heated shingles positicned particularly along the eaves of a roof where snow melted by heat from the interior of the roof causes accumulations of ice on the eaves, and in particular the invention relates to shingles positioned under this accumulation or bank oi ice in which electric heating elements are incorporated in the. shingles to provide heat for melting the ice.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for incorporating electric heating elements in shinges whereby heat may be supplied to the shingles when ice accumulates thereon.

Accumulations of ice on the eaves of a roof cause water from rain or melted snow to baci: up and leak through cracks or openings through the roof and eiorts to remove ice accumulations on the eaves of a roof involve extreme hazards as ice only accumulates in extremely cold weather and at this time the elements are not favorable for roof climbing. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates electrically heated shingles that may be substituted for the usual shingles on the eaves of a roof and with 'these shingles connected to a suitable source of current supply the shingles are readily heated by turning on a switch that may be located at a remote point.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for incorporating electric heating elements in shingles so that the shingles may be used in the usual manner and particularly on the eaves of a roof.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for incorporating electric heating elen ments in shingles in which the shingles may readily be substituted for shingles now in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide electrically heated shingles which are of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a composition shingle with electric heating elements embedded in the lower edge and with continuous circuits connecting the electric elements to a source ci current supply.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan View showing a plurality of shingles with a wiring diagram in connection therewith and with parts of the shingles broken away showing electric heating elements incorporated in the shingles.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the elec- 2 trically heated shinglesl being taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view similar to that shown in Figure i illustrating a modification wherein the electric heating elements incorporated in the shingles are connected in parallel.

Figure 4 is a cross section through a shingle taken on line -ll of Figure 3 with the upper parts of the side sections of the shingle shown separated in dash lines to facilitate installing conM nesting wires through the shingles to the heating elements therein.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the electrically heated shingle or" this invention includes an under part or section le, an upper part or section l l, heating elements l2 and leads i3 and l 4 from a suitable source of current supply.

l'n the design shown in Figure l a shingle of the type having three on a strip, is illustrated and the shingle is formed with spaced vertically disposed slots l5 and i6 in the lower edge or section thereof that is exposed to the weather and with overhanging flanges or lips il and I8 on the end of the upper edge or section thereof that is covered by the exposed section of a superimposed shingle and, therefore unexposed, and in manu facturing the shingles the electric heating elements i2 are incorporated in asbestos pads therein with the opposite terminals of the ele ments l2 connected by wires I9 and 2i] to the leads i4 and i3, respectively. It will be appreciated that the shingles are manufactured with the wires le and 23 extended therefrom and these wires are connected to the supply lines i3 and ifi as the shingles are installed on a roof, or the like. To facilitate connecting the wires le and 2i? the upper portions of the shingles may be sepa rated until connections have been made to the wires l5 and 2G.

lit will be understood, however, that the shingles may also be made with both the upper and lower parts le and l secured together in the shop and the ends of the wires i9 and 2li may be pro'- vided with plugs or other means whereby the shingles may readily be attached to the power lines.

The shingle illustrated in Figure l is of the three-on-a-strip type with the slots l5 and l dividing the exposed ends of the shingles, and it will be understood that one or any number or" shingles may be provided on a strip or as a single unit. With the shingles arranged in this man ner the extended ends Il and It overlap corresponding ends or lips of adjoining shingles 3 whereby a complete roof may readily be formed with the heated shingles or the shingles may be extended to the second layer or even a third or fourth layer oi heated shingles may be used.

In the design shown in Figure 3 a shingle unit 2l having a lower panel 22 and an upper panel 24 is shown, and in this design individual heating elements 25 are connected to bus bars or wires 2e and 2l with one terminal of each of the heating elements connected to one of the wires whereby the elements are connected in parailel and the shingle may be cut or broken in half or separated at either of the slots 28 and 2s or at any suitable point. The ends of the wires 2t and 21 may be connected to power lines or any suit able source of current supply.

As hereinbefore stated the shingles may be manufactured of any suitable composition with the heating elements between the outer and inner parts and the upper parts may be extended outwardly as indicated by the dash lines 32 and 33 in Figure 4 and with these parts open as shown the wires '25 and 2i may readily be incorporated therein. After the wires are in place the upper parts of the shingles may be cemented together or held 'together by any suitable means.

With shingles of this type incorporated in the eaves of a roof current may be supplied to the heating elements in the shingles as ice accumulates on the eaves and the ice may, therefore, be readily removed.

These shingles may be incorporated in a roof below the usual shingles, or mounted upon the shingles, or the shingles may be removed and replaced with the improved electrically heated f shingles.

The ends ci the shingle, particularly as show; in Figure 3 are provided with extensions and 3l similar to the extensions I7 and i9 oi the patterns shown in Figure 1, which complete the pattern of the shingle.

It will be understood that other modiiications may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrically heated rooiing shingle coniprising an elongated composition slab divided substantially midway of the width thereof forming a lower exposed section and an upper unexposed section, an electric heating element positioned in the exposed area of the slab, and power supply connections extended from the slab and connected to opposite terminals of the heating element.

2. An electrically heated roofing shingle comprising an elongated composition slab divided substantially midway of the width thereof forming a lower exposed'section and an upper unexposed section, an electric heating element incorporated in the exposed area of the slab, and

power supply connections extended from the slab and connected to opposite terminals oi the heating element, the lower portion or exposed area of said slab having spaced parallel slots extended inwardly from the lower edge thereof positioned between the heating elements and also having extended fianges on the ends of the upper unexposed section thereof, said extended flanges positioned to overlap corresponding anges of adjoining shingles.

3. In an electrically heated roofing shingle, the combination which comprises an elongated rectangular shaped panel divided substantially midway of the width thereof forming a lower exposed section and an upper unexposed section, having spaced parallel slots extended inwardly from the lower edge of the exposed section thereof and having extensions at the ends of the unex posed section thereof, spaced electric heating elements embedded in the shingle and positioned in the said unexposed section, a pair of power lines extended through the unexposed section of the shingle and means connecting one terminal of each of the electric heating elements to one of the said power lines.

4. In an electrically heated roofing shingle, the combination which comprises a rectangular shaped panel divided substantially midway oi the width thereof forming a lower exposed section and an upper unexposed section, and a plurality of spaced U-shaped loops of electric heating elements extended from a point substantially midway oi the width of the panel to points spaced from the lower edge oi the exposed section thereof and with the lower ends of the loops connected by cross members spaced from the lower edge of the unexposed section of the panel, the side members of said loops connected to adjacent side members of adjoining loops at the inner ends thereof.

In an electrically heated rooiing shingle, the combination which comprises a rectangular shaped panel divided substantially midway of the width thereof forming a lower exposed section and an upper unexposed section, and a plurality o spaced U-shaped loops of electric heating elements extended from a point substantially midway oi the width of the panel to points spaced from the lower edge of the exposed section oi the panel and with the lower ends of the loops connected by cross members spaced from the edges of the exposed section of the panel, power supply lines extended through the unexposed section of the panel, and means connecting the sides of the said loops to the power supply lines, respectively.

JOSEPH L. HARRSON.

REFERENCES CKTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,476,116 Thompson Dec. 4, 1923 1,521,241 Hale Dec. 3G, 1924 1,306,525 Graham Nov. 9, 1926 2,108,041 Calvin Feb. 15, 1938 2,231,251 Chaney Feb. 11, 1941 2,468,492 Gazda Apr. 26, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 225,627 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1924 177,896 Switzerland Oct. 1, 1935 

